Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,107 in Taoyuan versus $1,182 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,706 in Taoyuan versus $1,940 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,305 in Taoyuan versus $2,698 in Taichung.

Living in Taoyuan costs roughly 6% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taoyuan 18% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 NT$158

$4.98 NT$158

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 NT$814

$30.88 NT$976

-16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 NT$190

$5.39 NT$171

11.69%

Cappuccino

$2.83 NT$89.6

$3.04 NT$96.2

-6.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NT$38.97

$1.10 NT$34.75

11.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.25

$0.80 NT$25.19

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 NT$51.6

$2.17 NT$68.5

-24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$74.5

$2.82 NT$89.2

-16.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.30 NT$104

$3.77 NT$119

-12.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 NT$43.61

$1.75 NT$55.3

-21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 NT$79.4

$2.72 NT$86.1

-7.72%

Eggs

$2.29 NT$72.4

$3.25 NT$103

-29.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 NT$287

$31.55 NT$997

-71.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 NT$248

$7.90 NT$250

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NT$506

$15.51 NT$490

3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 NT$100

$4.50 NT$142

-29.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$1.79 NT$56.7

6.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 NT$83.7

$2.19 NT$69.2

21.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.7

$2.95 NT$93.2

2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 NT$75.6

$1.34 NT$42.24

78.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NT$57.9

$1.87 NT$59.2

-2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NT$79.9

$2.37 NT$75.0

6.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 NT$29.49

$1.26 NT$39.79

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 NT$199

$4.14 NT$131

51.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 NT$356

$16.02 NT$507

-29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.6

$1.70 NT$53.8

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$74.4

$2.63 NT$83.2

-10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.79

$0.88 NT$27.78

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.47 NT$1,311

$28.52 NT$902

45.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 NT$94.0

$2.82 NT$89.0

5.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.13

$1.19 NT$37.55

-38.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 NT$250

$10.27 NT$325

-22.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.46

$1.05 NT$33.23

0.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.9K NT$1.2M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

10.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K NT$833.4K

$26.4K NT$834.0K

-0.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$64.3 NT$2,032

$95.6 NT$3,022

-32.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.32 NT$927

$25.01 NT$791

17.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.22 NT$607

$21.47 NT$679

-10.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.56 NT$1,187

$35.63 NT$1,126

5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 NT$322

$10.26 NT$324

-0.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 NT$323

$10.63 NT$336

-3.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$579 NT$18.3K

$355 NT$11.2K

62.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K NT$483.8K

$21.0K NT$665.4K

-27.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NT$2,533

$83.0 NT$2,625

-3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.42 NT$740

$34.55 NT$1,092

-32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 NT$2,639

$93.8 NT$2,966

-11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,185

$130 NT$4,116

-22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 NT$13.6K

$381 NT$12.0K

13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 NT$11.1K

$285 NT$8,999

23.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 NT$26.5K

$1,028 NT$32.5K

-18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 NT$18.9K

$721 NT$22.8K

-16.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,660 NT$242.1K

$7,118 NT$225.0K

7.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,716 NT$149.1K

$5,250 NT$166.0K

-10.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 NT$49.2K

$1,386 NT$43.8K

12.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Taoyuan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Taoyuan and $381 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Taoyuan vs $31.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $395 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Taoyuan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taoyuan wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taoyuan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Taoyuan pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Taoyuan versus $381 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taoyuan – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $31.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,107 per month in Taoyuan versus $1,182 in Taichung – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,107 in Taoyuan versus $1,182 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taoyuan but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Taoyuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taoyuan and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taoyuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.